ANGELES CITY – Sen. Juan Miguel Zubiri received a commendation through a resolution from the city council led by Vice Mayor Vicky Vega-Cabigting for his landmark legislation benefitting some 78,000 cooperatives in the country.
Councilor Maricel “Marang” Morales yesterday disclosed that she sponsored a resolution “sincerely expressing the city council’s support to Senator Zubiri” for the latter’s landmark legislation granting tax exemptions to cooperatives.
The city council here unanimously approved the said resolution co-sponsored by councilors Edu Pamintuan and Jericho Aguas.
Morales cited that the Zubiri-sponsored Republic Act 9520, or the New Cooperative Code of the Philippines is expected “to spur and improve the economic status of many Filipinos and to make them self-reliant.”
“With the New Cooperative Code of the Philippines, Filipinos had realized that the pooling of their resources is more beneficial and productive,” she added.
Morales also commended Zubiri for frequently visiting Angeles City and other areas in the country to seek the advice of local officials in pushing for laws beneficial to the majority, especially the poor.
Last February, the Joint Congressional Oversight Committee on Cooperatives led by its chairmen, Zubiri and Rep. Jose Ping-Ay launched the regional leg of the cooperative road show and consultation forum in Baguio City.
Morales said cooperatives in this city and nearby areas will benefit from the new Coop law.
Alexander Cauguiran, chief of staff of Mayor Edgardo Pamintuan, said there are at least 40 active cooperatives here.
He said that 11 Clark Freeport-based cooperatives are also supported by the city government because most of their members are from Angeles.
Morales said “The Coop Code” was signed into law in March 2009.
“It has been hailed as a landmark legislation that empowered coops to professionalize their management and operation, while providing monitoring and evaluation tools for them to conduct self-assessments in terms of its managerial, financial, and social objectives,” said Morales, quoting the report of Zubiri.
